Havana Club unveils whisky cask-finished rum

Pernod Ricard has released the third instalment in its limited-edition Havana Club Tributo Collection – a rum finished in smoky whisky casks.

Havana Club Tributo 2018 is the third instalment in the series

Havana Club Tributo 2018 is the third expression in a series of annual releases that pay tribute to the different elements of the Cuban rum production process.

The 2018 edition has been crafted from blended rums drawn from 60-year-old casks and part-finished in barrels that had previously held smoky malts.

The result is a rum with a “subtle yet distinctive smoky note” due to the combination of casks.

Havana Club Tributo 2018 is presented in a wooden box, crafted from white wood to reinforce the role of the oak in this year’s rum.

The new expression was launched at the Cigar Habanos Festival in Cuba this week, with a limited allocation of 2,500 bottles globally.

Asbel Morales, Havana Club’s maestro del Ron Cubano, said: “The Tributo 2018 edition is a testament to the craftsmanship at Havana Club distillery, and we celebrate the expertise and passion of everyone who carefully monitored every stage of the distillation, maturation and blending process.”

Nick Blacknell, global marketing director at Havana Club International, added: “We are confident that Tributo 2018 will appeal to whisky and rum connoisseurs alike looking for high quality and authentic drinking experiences”.

The release follows the 2017 edition of the Havana Club Tributo Collection, which was created from a blend of hand-selected base rums and a decades-old ‘aguardiente’.

Bottled at 40% abv, Havana Club Tributo 2018 is available in 21 markets for an RRP of €400 (US$487) per 700ml bottle.